Saturday, September 12, 2009

Mr. Phone: "Um, yeah. I see Dr. Notoncall, and she has me on Aspirin 325mg once a day for a stroke, and, um, I was wondering if I can change it to the baby Aspirin 81mg size once a day instead?

Dr. Grumpy: "Are you having stomach problems or bruising, or another problem with it?".

Mr. Phone: "No."

Dr. Grumpy: "Then why do you want to change it? If Dr. Notoncall told you to take 325mg I assume she had a reason."

Mr. Phone: "Cuz my buddy, Phil at the paint shop, told me he thinks the 81mg is gonna be better for me. Ya see, my girlfriend bought me the bottle of 325mg after my stroke, but she and I broke up yesterday, and I'm not gonna see her again. So Phil pointed out that since she's the one who got me the 325mg size, maybe now that she's left it's not a good idea for me to be taking them, and so I should change sizes to something she didn't buy me".

(Long pause)

Dr. Grumpy: "Sir, I think you should stay on the 325mg pills. It's what Dr. Notoncall told you to take."

Pretty sick of people taking medical advice from non-doctors, non-nurses, non-pharmacists and the like, then challenging our educated opinions with what the TV said, or what their neighbor's cousin's chiropractor recommends to the neighbor's cousin.

You know, just, why bother even asking me if you already know? Let me spend my time with people who can benefit from my advice, m'kay?

Apparently Dr. Notoncall also has some real gems for patients. Maybe it's neurology in general - neurologists probably treat more patients with cognitive impairment than other specialties. BTW, I'm a nursing student, and I really enjoy your blog. Thank you for entertaining me when I should be (1)studying for a test and (2) writing a psychiatric care plan.

I agree with another poster, she may just be that diabolical and that crafty to have poisoned his bottle 'after' she broke up with him. And not only that one, but every bottle at the store where she got them from. However, he's got one up on her, he's going to a 'different' store to get a 'different' brand... that'll show her.

Wait! Maybe they broke up because the girlfriend was poisoning him... or maybe there was voodoo involved! Or maybe the girlfriend is a figment of his imagination? Or Phil is really a transvestite...or Phil is trying to kill him.. I'm thinking there's more to this story than meets the eye.

Wow really? The crazies call you for these things? Usually they just come into our pharmacy when we're really busy and can't properly take the time for a real chuckle. People really make my head hurt sometimes!

It makes me feel a sense of comradely to know that other professions have to deal with this-- yesterday I had a customer insist that she needed Tylenol without acetaminophen in it, because Tylenol helped her leg pain, but the acetaminophen gave her cramps. I have no idea what she ended up buying- after several unsucessful attempts to explain I handed her over to the stock clerk to show her where the "regular" Tylenol was.

Welcome to my whining!

This blog is entirely for entertainment purposes. All posts about patients may be fictional, or be my experience, or were submitted by a reader, or any combination of the above. Factual statements may or may not be accurate.

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